Angry Young Man
Rising Storms of Youth: Steve Earle's Tale of Struggle and Redemption
Lyrics
I got a lot of memories tied up in this place
I have many memories associated with this place.
So much time spent in so little space
A significant amount of time spent in a confined space.
What looked like the world through the eyes of a child
Childhood perspectives made it seem like the entire world.
Kind of closes in on you after a while
Over time, the world seems to close in and become more confining.
It's a place to grow up and a place to grow old
The place serves as both a growing-up and aging space.
You keep your mouth shut and you do what you're told
Survival involves keeping quiet and obeying orders.
I told mama the day that I ran
Expressing discontent, indicating a departure.
This ain't no place for an angry young man
Expressing that the environment is unsuitable for a person filled with anger.
Oh mama if you could see me right now
Imagining how the speaker would appear to their mother currently.
You'd be so sure you failed me somehow
The mother might feel like she failed in some way.
Mama you never could understand
Mother never comprehended the turmoil inside.
There ain't no peace for an angry young man
Highlighting the lack of peace for an angry young man.
A cheap hotel a long way from my home
Staying in a distant, inexpensive hotel away from home.
So many people make you feel so lone
Feeling isolated due to numerous people.
Dreams die easy out here in these streets
Dreams easily fade in the harsh reality of the streets.
Hearts grow cold in the city heat
Emphasizing the coldness that develops in the heat of the city.
And I ain't never been the patient kind
The speaker lacks patience and lives on their own terms.
I had to live like I please or die tryin'
A determination to live freely or face death in the attempt.
At a filling station with a gun in my hand
Describing a desperate situation at a gas station with a firearm.
The only way for an angry young man
Suggesting that anger leads to drastic actions.
And mama if you could see me right now
Imagining the mother's reaction to the current state of the speaker.
You'd be so sure you failed me somehow
The mother might feel a sense of failure.
Mama you never could understand
Reiterating the mother's inability to understand the speaker's struggles.
There ain't no peace for an angry young man
Underlining the absence of peace for an angry young man.
I got a lot of memories tied up in this place
Recalling memories tied to the current location.
Tonight they're starin' me right in the face
The memories are vivid and confronting the speaker.
A lonely grave on the outskirts of town
Highlighting a lonely grave on the town's outskirts.
It's three in the morning, no one around
Describing a deserted and late-night setting.
Just like a ghost I come out of the night
The speaker emerges like a ghost during the night.
But I'll be gone before the morning light
Leaving before the morning light, suggesting a transient existence.
Mama I hope that you understand
Hoping the mother understands the necessity of leaving.
This ain't no place for an angry young man
Reiterating that the current environment is not suitable for an angry young man.
Mama if you could see me right now
Imagining the mother's reaction to the speaker's current state.
You'd be so sure you failed me somehow
The mother might feel like she failed the speaker.
Mama you never could understand
Mother's inability to grasp the struggles of an angry young man.
There ain't no peace for an angry young man
Reiterating the absence of peace for an angry young man.
Mama if you could see me right now
Imagining the mother's reaction to the speaker's current state.
You'd be so sure you failed me somehow
The mother might feel like she failed the speaker.
Mama you never could understand
Mother's inability to grasp the struggles of an angry young man.
There ain't no peace for an angry young man
Reiterating the absence of peace for an angry young man.
Yes
Confirmation of the preceding statements.
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